The Early Years
1994
Marla Berkowitz and Naomi Brunn (now Naomi Brunnlehrman) founded Manhattan's Young Adult Jewish Deaf (MYAJD) group which was a precursor to the establishment of JDRC.
1996
MYAJD hosted a gathering to prepare for Passover, using a Haggadah that was specifically written for members of MYAJD. This Haggadah included Jewish Deaf culture and some ASL signs related to the holiday.
Marla Berkowitz delivered the Friday night Shabbat sermon in ASL at Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in NYC in August of 1996.
JDRC was co-founded by Marla Berkowitz and Naomi Brunn in 1996. The organization is based on the bi-cultural and bi-lingual model, where Deaf and hearing leaders work side-by-side to collectively break down communication barriers in the wider Jewish community. The founders wanted to ensure that JDRC would guarantee Deaf leadership while cultivating valuable relationships with hearing leaders. In that spirit, our first board member was Marlene Post, who was at that time the national president of Hadassah. She encouraged the JDRC to become a 501(c)3 non-profit independent organization that could serve as a resource to the entire Jewish community.
Marla Berkowitz served as JDRC’s first president.
2000
JDRC educated members of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. about the challenges of interpreting Jewish prayers.
During the Intifada, JDRC raised funds for Deaf Israelis since they were short on vibrating beepers to warn them of an incoming missile and their need to run to a shelter.
The Second Chapter of JDRC
2008
Anita Altman of the UJA-Federation of NY invited Alexis Kashar to present on the importance of communication access. As a result of this meeting, Alexis inspired the creation of the UJA-Federation of New York’s Jewish Community Deaf Interpreting Fund which JDRC administers.
JDRC began partnering annually with the ReelAbilities Film Festival.
Alexis Kashar became JDRC’s second president and continued in this role for ten years.
2010
Naomi Brunnlehrman was hired as JDRC’s part time executive director.
2011
JDRC partnered with Rabbi Pamela Barmash, chair of Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS) on her rabbinic responsa on American Sign Language and the Deaf community for the Conservative Movement’s CJLS.
Howard Rosenblum, then Executive Director of National Association of the Deaf (NAD), joined JDRC when NAD gave testimony to the CJLS.
The paper was approved on May 24, 2011, by a vote of sixteen in favor (16-0-0), none opposed and non-abstaining.
The responsum was approved by CJLS on November 16, 2011, by a vote of sixteen in favor, none opposed and two abstaining (16-0-2).
2012
JDRC inspired Conservative synagogues across the USA to celebrate the one-year anniversary of this historic rabbinic teshuvot (responsa) on the Shabbat of Parashot Kedoshim when the congregation read the Torah: “Do not insult the Deaf nor place a stumbling block before the blind.”
JDRC initiated an inaugural national program that recognized May 5, 2012, as Jewish Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Awareness Shabbat. This program was supported by the Rabbinical Assembly (RA), Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), Rabbinical Council of America (RCA), Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association (RRA), Academy of Jewish Religion (AJR), UJA Federation of New York and Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA).
JDRC Continues to Flourish
2020
COVID-19 brought together The Jewish Deaf Resource Center, Hillel at Gallaudet, Jewish Deaf Congress and Washington Society of Jewish Deaf to form the ASL Shabbat Coalition (ASC) as an online Havurah, supported partially through JDRC’s operating grant from the UJA Federation of New York.
The first online Shabbat service took place on May 1, 2020.
2021
2022
JDRC partnered with URJ in offering scholarships for Deaf students to enroll into their “Introduction to Judaism in ASL” course, increasing accessibility in the wider Jewish community.
JDRC partnered with the Academy for Jewish Religion to kick off the “Etzba Elohim: Understanding and Interpreting Jewish Prayers in ASL,” a new historic certificate program that trains Certified Deaf Interpreters, CODA, and hearing ASL interpreters, Deaf Shleichi Tzibburs and Jewish Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals to meaningfully interpret Jewish prayers in ASL. The first course of three in a series, “Friday Night Jewish Liturgy in ASL” was provided to 16 students from February 1, 2022 - May 3, 2022.
JDRC provided guidance to Marlene Meyerson JCC - Manhattan to design a “Conversation Between Nyle DiMarco and Shelly Guy” for optimum accessibility. JDRC recommended a Deaf interviewer for the event, and used its network to help promote the event through the Jewish Deaf and hard of hearing community in April 2022. There were 150 viewers at this event.
2023
Naomi Brunnlehrman retired as part time executive director of JDRC.
JDRC hired a part-time social media specialist to expand its outreach efforts.
JDRC partnered with six Jewish Deaf organizations in hosting a national Zoom Jewish Deaf Community vigil following the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.
JDRC partnered with the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington to provide accessibility oversight at their national online Community Vigil following the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, bringing access to the national Jewish Deaf community.
JDRC formed a new partnership with Melton School for Adult Jewish Learning to offer a series of Living Wisdom courses, taught by a Rabbi fluent in American Sign Language, twice a year. Captioning was provided for inclusive access.
2024
2025
JDRC President Susan Cohen presented a talk to rabbinical students at Academy for Jewish Religion, heightening their understanding about how to create a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for the Jewish Deaf and Hard of Hearing community
JDRC partnered with Jewish Braille Institute and Congregation Rodeph Shalom in hosting Jewish Disabilities Awareness Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAIM), held nationally in February.
JDRC launched the first issue of JDRC Connections, an e-newsletter for the wider Jewish community, to serve as a beacon of resources on inclusion and belonging.